Hollywood actor Robert Pattinson has revealed that he actively seeks roles that subvert audience expectations — and that playing villains is his preferred way to do it. In a candid interview with People magazine, the 40-year-old British actor explained his personal philosophy of deliberately keeping expectations low before surprising viewers.

The Villain Philosophy

Pattinson, who plays Antinous — the primary antagonist in Sir Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic 'The Odyssey' — said the approach is central to how he operates. 'I do. I like lowering people's expectations; that's always my favourite, that's always my place to be. Undersell and overdeliver, that's my motto,' he said.

He is also set to portray the shapeshifting character Scytale in 'Dune: Part Three', another antagonist role that reportedly drew him in for the same reasons — the opportunity to challenge how audiences perceive him.

Antinous Is Not Quite the Bad Guy, Says Pattinson

Despite playing the character traditionally framed as a villain, Pattinson pushed back on a straightforward reading of Antinous, who competes for the affections of Penelope (played by Anne Hathaway) during the years her husband Odysseus (played by Matt Damon) remains missing.

'I don't think he's really the bad guy. I think he's just like. It's a love story, it's a love story. Penelope is just waiting for Antinous to get older,' Pattinson said, according to reports citing Female First UK.

The nuanced reading suggests Pattinson is approaching the role with considerably more psychological complexity than the source material's surface-level framing might imply.

Finding the Quirk

Pattinson also disclosed a consistent personal method he applies across his roles — identifying a small character 'quirk' that helps him inhabit a part and make it distinctly his own.

'There's always one little thing that you kind of do every movie, I always find some kind of little quirk. I'm trying to remember what it was on this. I remember doing something which a lot of people thought I was very strange doing, but I can't remember (what),' he said.

This approach reflects a broader pattern in Pattinson's post-Twilight career, during which he has consistently gravitated toward unconventional, morally ambiguous characters — from 'The Lighthouse' to 'The Batman' — rather than conventional leading-man fare.

Reuniting With Zendaya

Notably, Pattinson shares screen space with his 'The Drama' co-star Zendaya in both 'The Odyssey' and 'Dune: Part Three'. Yet despite their established friendship, he admitted he failed to recognise her on the set of 'The Odyssey'.

'I didn't even recognise' her while she was filming, he revealed — a detail that speaks to the transformative production design of Nolan's project.

With both films among the most anticipated releases on the horizon, Pattinson's dual villain turn is shaping up to be one of the more closely watched performance arcs in recent Hollywood memory.